Not only is it that time of year again for one of the city's biggest festivals, but it's also the 20th Anniversary of the Essence Music Festival! Whether you're local or visitng, we want to make sure you have a blast in the Big Easy. Here's your mini-guide to this weekend's most fab events, including the full ESSENCE Music Festival line-up, day and after parties. Print it, forward it to a friend, let it be known that Ashlee Nicole Spills your 'go-to' guides to the hottest, coolest, and most current haps.
2014 ESSENCE MUSIC FESTIVAL
**20th Anniversary**
NEW ORLEANS, LA
THURSDAY, JULY 3 - SUNDAY, JULY 6
EMPOWER U
@ ERNEST N. MORIAL CONVENTION CENTER
JULY 4 - JULY 6 | 10AM - 6PM
FRIDAY, JULY 4
• Healthy Living: Food Is Medicine with Dr. Aletha Maybank
• Love & Relationships: Act Like A Lady, Think Like A Man, Part II with Steve Harvey
• Career Connection: National Urban League with Marc Morial
• Real Women Entrepreneurs: Stories of Challenge & Success in the Marketplace
• Style & Beauty: Tips from ESSENCE.com's Hair Channel
• Healthy Living: Colgate Total Conversation
• Money & Power: Career Dressing 'Fab Or Drab' with Karli & Brandi Harvey
• Love & Relationships: The Silver Loving Playbook with Dr. Sherry Blake
SATURDAY, JULY 5
• Supplier or Partner: Growing Beyond the Contract: Positioning your
Business as a Strategic Partner
• Style & Beauty: Tips from ESSENCE.com's Hair Channel
• Career Connection: Panel Discussion with top HR Executives
• Love & Relationships: Learning from Love Mistakes with Sarah Jakes
• Healthy Living: Colgate Total Conversation
• Healthy Living: Sophisticated Sips with Tiffanie Barriere
• Love & Relationships: Flirting 101 with Abiola Abrams
• Money & Power: Chevron PowerMoves Pitch Session
SUNDAY, JULY 6
• Money & Power: From Employee to Entrepreneur with Melinda Emerson
• Education: Raising Our Kids To Succeed with Kira Orange Jones
• Career Connection: Branding You presented by National Urban League
• Healthy Living: Colgate Total Conversation
• Healthy Living: Finding Your Peace Anywhere with Dr. Denese Shervington
• Style & Beauty: Beat-the-Heat Hairstyles with Kim Kimble
• Education: Opportunities in TECH with #YESWECODE
ESSENCE MUSIC FESTIVAL CONCERT
MERCEDES-BENZ SUPERDOME
THURSDAY, JULY 3
7:30pm: Jesse Boykins III
8pm: Jazmine Sullivan
8:45pm: K. Michelle
9:30pm: Trey Songz
10:50pm: Nas
FRIDAY, JULY 4
8:20pm: Janelle Monáe
9:20pm: Nile Rodgers
10:30pm: Prince
SUPERLOUNGE
7:00pm: KING
7:25pm: Greta Prince
7:25pm: Kevin Ross
7:25pm: Leela James
8:15pm: Estelle
8:20pm: Alice Smith
8:50pm: Naughty By Nature
8:55pm: Stephanie Mills
SATURDAY, JULY 5
7pm: Tank
7:45pm: Ledisi
8:50pm: The Roots
10:10pm: Jill Scott
11:30pm: Mary J. Blige
SUPERLOUNGE
7pm: Big Sam’s Funky Nation
7:25pm: Kourtney Heart
7:30pm: Daley
8:20pm: Tevin Campbell
8:25pm: Liv Warfield
8:30pm: Marsha Ambrosius
9pm: Doug E. Fresh
9:50pm: 112
9:50pm: Marsha Ambrosius
10pm: Michelle Williams
SUNDAY, JULY 6
MAIN STAGE
Hosted By
7pm: Tamar Braxton
7:50pm: Erykah Badu
9:10pm: Charlie Wilson
11pm: Lionel Richie
SUPERLOUNGE
7pm: George Tandy, Jr.
7:15pm: The Pinettes
7:30pm: Sevyn Streeter
8:10pm: Amel Larrieux
8:20pm: Sebastian Mikael
8:25pm: August Alsina
9:25: Jagged Edge
9:35pm: Robert Glasper
9:50pm: Raheem DeVaughn
9:50pm: Elle Varner
DAY + AFTER PARTIES
THURSDAY, JULY 3
Essence Fest Family Day | Woldenberg Riverfront Park, 1 Canal St. | 11AM | FREE
Performances by: Erica Campbell, Cupid, Full Force, Nigel Hall Band, Rapper’s Delight, Waterseed + Wayna
Black Excellence: The All-Black Boat Ride | Creole Queen (corner of Poydras St. & Canal St. -- by the river) | 7PM | 23+ | Purchase Tickets
Indigo Lounge ft. DJ Mike Swift + DJ Emcee + Chef KC | Aprés Lounge, 608 Fulton St. | 10PM | Purchase Tickets
Welcome to New Orleans Festival Kick-Off ft. Monica | Masquerade at Harrahs Casino, 8th Canal St. | 10:30PM | Purchase Tickets
FRIDAY, JULY 4
Cocktails & Curls! Champagne & Chic Styles! | Jax Brewery Bistro Bar, 620 Decatur St. | 12PM | RSVP
All-American Day Soiree ft. Mary J. Blige | Aprés Lounge, 608 Fulton St. | 1PM | Purchase Tickets
The Big Easy Celebrity Style Lounge ft. Ledisi | Private Location | 2PM | RSVP for Deets
The Welcome to New Orleans Affair ft. Terrence J + Ludacris | Jax Brewery Bistro Bar, 620 Decatur St. | 10PM | Purchase Tickets
Morris Chestnut’s All-White Everything ft. Morris Chestnut + Biz Markie + Raheem DeVaughn + Kenny Burns | The Metropolitan, 310 Andrew Higgins Dr. | 10PM | Purchase Tickets
Grey Goose Suite V.1 ft. Common + DJ Mike Swift + More | Eiffel Society, 2040 St. Charles Ave. | 10PM | Purchase Tickets
Indigo Lounge ft. Ryan Cameron + DJ Groove Kid + Chef KC | Aprés Lounge, 608 Fulton St. | 10PM | Purchase Tickets
Scandalous: The Lance Gross Celebrity Birthday Bash ft. Lance Gross + Doug E. Fresh + More | Republic NOLA, 828 S. Peters St. | 10PM | Purchase Tickets
Welcome to New Orleans Day Party | W Hotel, 333 Poydras St. | 12PM | Purchase Tickets
The White Party ft. Tank | W Hotel, 333 Poydras St. | 9PM | Purchase Tickets
SATURDAY, JULY 5
Black Girls Workout, Too! | Gymnetics Fitness @ Marriott Hotel, 555 Canal St. | 9AM, 11AM | Purchase Tickets
New Orleans National Hair Expo | Contemporary Arts Center, 900 Camp St. | 10AM | Purchase Tickets
VIP on the River: Sippin’ on the Mississippi | The Steamboat Natchez, 610 Decatur St. (behind Jax Brewery) | 11AM, 2PM, or 6PM | Purchase Tickets
W.O.W. In White Celebrity Day Party ft. Raheem DeVaughn + Rob Riley | Aprés Lounge, 608 Fulton St. | 1PM | Purchase Tickets
Saturday Day Party ft. Terrence J | W Hotel, 333 Poydras St. | 1PM | Purchase Tickets
The Makeup and Martini Mixer: Essence Edition ft. AJ Crimson | Hyatt French Quarter Hotel, 800 Iberville St. | 1PM | Purchase Tickets
2nd Annual Biz Markie + Doug E. Fresh Day Party Extravaganza | Jax Brewery Bistro Bar, 620 Decatur St. | 2PM - 8PM | Purchase Tickets
The Lyfe Day Party: Pool Party Experience ft. Kennan Lewis + Reuben Randle + More | Indulge Island Grill, 845 Carondelet St. | 2PM | Purchase Tickets
Rock the Boat: All-White Boat Party ft. Karlie Redd + Cupid | The Creole Queen, 1 Poydras St. | Purchase Tickets
Black Hollywood Affair: Think Like a Man Too Edition ft. Terrence J + Regina Hall + Will Packer | Jax Brewery Bistro, 620 Decatur St. | 10PM | Purchase Tickets
The Art of Luxury Black & White Affair ft. Lance Gross + Omari Hardwick + Tank + Rob Hill Sr. + Kenny Burns + Estelle | The Metropolitan, 310 Andrew Higgins Blvd. | 10PM | Purchase Tickets
First Ladies of Hip-Hop ft. MC Lyte + Da Brat + YoYo | House of Blues, 225 Decatur St. | Purchase Tickets
Mary J. Blige Official New Orleans Festival After-Party ft. MJB + Doug E. Fresh | The Hyatt Regency, 601 Loyola Ave. | 10PM | Purchase Tickets
Grey Goose Suite V.2 ft. QTip + DJ Mannie Fresh + More | Eiffel Society, 2040 St. Charles Ave. | 10PM | Purchase Tickets
All White Essence After Party ft. Amiyah Scott | Twist 504, 1605 Esplanade Ave. | 10PM | $7 Before 11PM
DJ Questlove: The Return! + DJ Soul Sister | Tiptina’s, 501 Napoleon Ave. | 10PM | Purchase Tickets
Indigo Lounge ft. DJ Raj Smoove + DJ E Clazz + Estelle + Chef KC | Aprés Lounge, 608 Fulton St. | 10PM | Purchase Tickets
SUNDAY, JULY 6
The Hangover Brunch ft. DJ Diagnosis | Eiffel Society, 2040 St. Charles Ave. | 12PM | Purchase Tickets
Fashion Fierce Party V Essence Edition | The Creole Queen, 1 Poydras St. | 12PM | Purchase Tickets
The Ciroc Boy Day Party ft. Kenny Burns | W Hotel, 333 Poydras St. | 1PM | Purchase Tickets
Beat & Snatched Makeup Class ft. Mimi J + Jeremy Dell | 309 Chartres St. (across from W French Quarter) | 1PM | Purchase Tickets
Damn That DJ Made My Day Party II | Jax Brewery Bistro, 620 Decatur St. | 2PM | Purchase Tickets
The Sunset: Festival Finale Pool & Patio Day Party ft. DJ Raj Smoove + Wild Wayne | Indulge Island Grill, 845 Carondelet St. | 3PM | Purchase Tickets
Bon Voyage: LMAO Celebrity Comedy Show & Day Party ft. Rip Michaels | Aprés, 608 Fulton St. | 4PM | Purchase Tickets
Cabana All-White Glam Party | Elite Hall at Hyatt Regency Hotel, 601 Loyola Dr. | 5PM | Purchase Tickets
Sunday Reign: The Official Weekend Climax ft. Erykah Badu + DJ Mannie Fresh + DJ Captain Charles + DJ Jubilee + More | The Metropolitan, 310 Andrew Higgins Blvd. | 10PM | Purchase Tickets
Have a fierce, fun, and fabulous time, but please, drink responsibly while doing so. =]
This guide will be consistently updated.
